Shoe-lacing device



P. M. NELSON. SHOE LACING DEVICE. APPLICATIONTILED OCT. 3. 1921.

Patented June 27, 1922;

P-M.Nelson M R ATTO R N EY PHILIP MEYER NELSON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

SHOE-LACING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2'7, 1922.

Application filed October 3, 1921. Serial No. 505,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP MEYER NnLsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Lacing Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe fastening means, the general object ofthe invention being to provide means whereby only one lace is required,which is permanently secured to the shoe and which is tightened to closethe opening in the shoe by a pair of members placed between the tongueand the edges of the shoe and engaging portions of the lace.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the twomembers are held in position with the lace closing the opening by meansof the projections engaging the eyelets in the shoe.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1is a fragmentary view of a shoe showing my invention in use.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the parts in open position.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail views.

In these views 1 indicates a portion of a shoe and 2 the tongue thereofwhich is placed under the opening 3. In carrying out my invention I usea single lace 4: which is threaded through the eyelets 5 and has itsupper and lower ends suitably secured to the interior of the shoe, asshown at 6. A pair of strips 7 are placed between the tongue and theupper of the shoe, one on each side of the opening, these strips beingprovided with hooks 8 at the lower ends for engaging the bottom eyeletsand projections 9 at their upper ends for engaging the top eyelets. Theprojections 9 may be carried by a collar loosely surrounding the stripsfor adjustment thereon, as shown at 9 in the detail view. The hooks 8are to permanently engage the bottom eyelets but the projections 9 areto push out ofthe top eyelets when the upper of the shoe is to beopened.

The lace is looped over the outer edges of the strips between some ofthe pairs of eyelets, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, so that when thestrips are moved to the position shown in Figure 2 the lace is slackenedso that the edges of the opening can be pulled apart to permit the shoeto be placed on thefoot or removed therefrom. When it is desired toclose the opening the strips are placed in parallel position, as shownin Figure 1, and the projections 9 placed in the top eyelets to holdthem in this position. In this position of the strips the lace will bedrawn taut so as to bring the walls of the opening together.

The strips may be made of spring steel or similar material and stiffenough to prevent buckling by the lace. However the positioning of thestrips between the tongue and parts of the upper will prevent anytendency to buckle while permitting the strips to bend to conform to theinstep.

As will be seen this device will eliminate the tying of laces and willpermit the shoe to be easily and quickly laced on the foot or removedtherefrom. ile the device is mainly designed for low shoes it will ofcourse be understood that I do not wish to limit the invention to lowshoes. Then the shoe is on the foot both strips are hidden from view.

Instead of fastening the lace to the shoe it may be fastened to thestrips 7 in any desired manner, such as by tying it to the strips orotherwise.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, providedthat such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is In combination with a shoe, a lace passing through theeyelets thereof, a pair of spring strips placed between the tongue andthereon, projections carried by said collars the upper, one on each sideof the opening for engaging pairs of eyelets opposite themin the shoe,parts of the lacing being looped selves fol-holding the laoinginposition cios- 10 about the strips, hooks at the bottom of the ing theopening.

strips for engaging the bottom eyelets, 001- In testimony whereof Iaffix my signalars loosely SUITOLI hdiDg said strips, adjacent ture. tt, V the top thereof and adapted for adj stment M PHILIP MEYER NELSON.

